The Oracle Of The Phoenix
by Sweet Roses
Summary: UPDATED!CHAPTER EIGHT!Hitomi Kanzaki finds herself in the middle of the Phoenix Ocean with some misfit pirates trying to help her find her way home, while being perused by the Phenomenon who are looking for the Oracle of the Phoenix. R
1. Falling Into The Ocean

Okies, disclaimer 101, uh. anyway, I do not own Escaflowne, and/or related themes.  
  
I do own, however, my character, Edwina Arrow, although I've altered her from my oldest character in Advanced Dungeons and Dragons who was a Chaotic Neutral Half-Elf to a Chaotic Neutral human pirate. Those who do not know what Chaotic Neutral means, it is someone who places everything they own and do on a simple roll of the dice or the flip of a coin. Okay. Also, I own the plot, and the whole plot and nothing (except my char) but the plot. Alrighty then here I go.  
  
O and yes, in this fic, they are VERY Out of character. Okay! Bai, bai.  
  
*****  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Falling into the ocean  
  
*****  
  
Hitomi Kanzaki sighed as she looked outside the window from her desk in her small room. She was slowly shuffling her tarot card deck instead of doing her homework. She would always dream about another world. A world without borders, a world where there were damsels in distress, old fashioned bar fights and most of all pirates. She would spend all of her time reading about them, she couldn't get enough of them. Parents, teachers and friends all told her to stop daydreaming, get her head out of the clouds and start doing her homework and assignments.  
  
She threw her tarot cards on the bed beside her and picked up her pencil. 'Okay... concentrate. Maybe a chapter will get me motivated. She crawled off her chair and flopped onto her bed, spilling close to the edge tarot cards onto the floor. She grabbed the book on her bedside table that read "The Shadow of Ocean Phoenix."  
  
" Chapter 7  
  
Dilandau pointed his sword at the throat of Van. He snarled out the words, "Drop ye sword, ye be finished boy.' His sly grin crossed over his face. Van threw his sword to the side and raised his hands slightly.  
  
"This be not near the end, Dilandau.' Van looked him square in the eye.  
  
"Oh, but it is Van, it really is." He pierced his sword forward and Van moved out of the way. Dilandau swung it behind and Van ducked and slid backwards grabbing his sword and returning to the standing position. Van pointed his sword at Dilandau who in turn pointed his at Van. Both were squaring off.  
  
"This be the decision. Will ye be victorious or will it be me?" Dilandau smiled sadistically and then-"  
  
'Hitomi! Are you doing your homework?' Hitomi looked up from her book and threw it across the room, jumping up of her bed and running toward the door.  
  
'What? I- didn't hear you.'  
  
'I said are you doing you homework.'  
  
'... Of course, I'm almost done' she lied shutting her door again. She walked over to her desk and sat down again and stared outside. She rested her chin in her hands and stared outside. She squinted when she saw something falling from the sky.  
  
'What is that?' she whispered. A sudden crash of lightning sent her pushing herself backwards with the chair and falling flat on the floor.  
  
'Hitomi?' Her mother called. She sat up in her room quickly and ran downstairs.  
  
'Hitomi, are you okay.' She ignored her and mother and ran outside in her sock feet and pajamas. 'Hitomi Kanzaki you come back in here. You're going to catch a cold. Hitomi!' her mother's voice echoed.  
  
Hitomi ran down the street through the rain and lightning to where she saw the thing falling from the sky in the park. She jumped a few bushes and almost slipped in some mud. She looked up just as thunder rang through the clouds. She saw the item fall just a few feet in front of her. She ran up to it and picked it up. She looked at it skeptically. It appeared to be a normal necklace. It had a gold chain and attached to was a pearl pink stone. She put it over her head and fixed it around her neck.  
  
Hitomi was blinded by a light that came from the sky just as the pendant had. She was finally lifted up off the ground. She looked around frantically her feet were off the ground now and she started shouting.  
  
'MOM! DAD!' the pendant seemed to be pulling her up. She attempted to pull it off but it seemed to have shrunk to fit her completely. There was another flash and then she suddenly found herself falling down, plunging into the ocean below.  
  
The water crushed around her body and warmed her skin after the cool rain had been falling on it. She pushed her way to the top of the water and breathed in deep when she reached the surface.  
  
'Help!' she yelled automatically. 'Someone Hel-' Her eyes widened when she saw a huge ship in front of her. There were a few people looking over the edge at her.  
  
'Would it not be a little early for a swim there missy?' One of the boys yelled.  
  
'Please, help me...I'm not a really strong swimmer.' She pleaded.  
  
'Aw ye be in a tight fix. Then ye best start swimming, shore is thirty miles south.' Hitomi dunked under for a moment before coming back up again. She was getting tired of treading water and the pendant was starting to feel extremely heavy.  
  
'Please,' she begged again. 'Please?'  
  
'What be in it for me?' he asked.  
  
'This.' She choked out. 'I'll give you this.' She used her right hand to grab the pendant around her neck and dangle it in front of their sight, the man eyed it lovingly and then she dropped it again. 'If you can help me out and get this off my neck you can have it.'  
  
'Get her up.' The man ordered. 'Now.' He shouted. The people started scurrying around and soon enough there was a rope being thrown over the edge for her to grab onto. She swam gratefully over to it and grabbed hold of it.  
  
'Now, can ye pull yerself up lassie?' he asked.  
  
'No... I really don't think I can.' She said voice strained as she tried. 'I'll need a little help.'  
  
'Alright, come on now, pull you idiots.' He barked and walked over to help them pull. She was unexpectedly jerked out of the water. She tried to walk along the edge of the ship but couldn't quite reach it. She just tried her best to hang on while they hoisted her up. Finally reaching the edge she grabbed on to it and was pulled by a cat-girl.  
  
She had a bandana on and a short dress that went down to her buttocks and a pair of rugged pants.  
  
'What be your purpose in these here waters girl?' she questioned tapping her foot.  
  
'I- just fell.' She said simply. The man that had obliged to her offer came in front of the cat-girl.  
  
'Welcome,' He said, arms outstretched, 'to the Sarniya. I be Captain Van Fanel. This be the crew.' He put one hand down and used the other outstretched hand to show her his "crew."  
  
'I'm Kanzaki Hitomi.' She said breathlessly. He looked at her, then at her cloths and then at the pendant around her neck.  
  
'Now what be with the cloths ye be wearin'. Where be ye comin' from?' he asked playing with a small tress that extended from his hair to the bottom of his jaw. It was longer that the rest of his hair on his head.  
  
'Oh these?' she said looking down at her pajamas. 'This is what I sleep in, my pajamas. And I come from Japan.' (A/N Uh, I can't remember where Hitomi comes from and if they even told us. ^^;)  
  
'About the pendant.' she said. 'I can't get it off, but if you can get it off me and help me get back home, you can have it.'  
  
'It don't come off is that it. So what do ye want us ta do cut of yer head?' the cat girl pulled out a dagger and grabbed her hair.  
  
'Merle.' Capitan Van yelled. 'Put yer weapon away and let her hair go.' He squatted down in front of her and grabbed the pendant. 'Real gold chain. hmmm where did ye get something like this?'  
  
'It fell from the sky.'  
  
'It be worth a lot.' He let if fall again. 'Turn around.' He said. She did as he asked and turned around. He then again took the chain into his hands and tried breaking it. 'This be a stubborn chain, it be.'  
  
'Well,' he smiled, 'Until I can get it off yer little neck, ye be sailing with us for a while.'  
  
'What? Look how the be dressin'.' One of the crewmembers said.  
  
'Aye, no worries there. She just brought a spring around her cable. I be making sure she'll be fitting in before we dock. Get up lassie.' Hitomi did what she was told. She wavered a little bit not being used to the rocking of the boat. Van helped her become steadier.  
  
'Ye be lacking yer sea legs.'  
  
'I'm missing what?' she asked uncomfortably.  
  
'Sea legs. When one is foreign with the ship he be waverin' all over the place, like ye and ye be missin' yer sea legs.'  
  
'Oh.' She said.  
  
*****  
  
Hey ppl's if anyone is actually reading this. Please review this... it would make me happy and if you don't it will be excruciatingly painful and, and I don't want to think about it. Okies...please review.  
  
~Sweet roses 


	2. Captain to Captain

I do not own Escaflowne  
  
Chapter 2  
  
Captain to Captain  
  
*****  
  
Hitomi awoke with a jolt. She sat up and looked around her small room. Although this small room didn't feel like her small room on the earth. There was one window across from her bed, a circular door that she supposed was the way our. There was the bed she was sitting on, the desk/dresser in the corner and a small night table that was on the left side of her bed. There were many things on the wall; a couple of swords and, what looked like a very tattered map.  
  
Hitomi played the scenario of last night over and over in her head. When she finally came to the decision that she wasn't dreaming and STILL wasn't dreaming and jumped out of the small bed, wavering a tad and walked to the round door and pulled it open. She still thought it was strange that the names here of all the pirates were all the same in her book. There were stairs leading up and out and stairs leading down. She walked upwards and her head poked out of the entrance and he breath caught in her chest. In front of her was the most beautiful, breathtaking sunrise she had ever seen. She climbed the rest of the way out and tumbled a bit to the left and then the right and then the left again. She kept doing this while trying to walk straight. She was no longer in her pajamas, no they were way too wet to sleep in, and instead she was in someone's shirt and some blue tattered shorts to sleep in.  
  
She didn't see anyone anywhere, but she heard a little bit of talking coming from in front of her. She walked (the best she could) to the where the noise was coming from. She popped her head out from behind a few of the boxes and climbed the stairs.  
  
Van, who was talking to some of his crew, stopped all of a sudden and looked Hitomi right in the eye. She stood up and walked towards him and crew, who all had their heads craned around to see what he was looking at.  
  
Hitomi smiled and said, 'It's a beautiful morning.' The crew let out a laugh.  
  
'She be a strange one, can' tell 'er mornin' from 'er evenin'.' A girl with lengthily hair alleged.  
  
'It be almost dusk missy.' Captain Van said, steeping down to her height.  
  
'Oh. Oh well forget about that. You guys are real right?' Van looked at her strangely.  
  
'I mean, real life pirates.'  
  
'Aye, we savvy these water and we be the best pirates of them.' He used his arms again in his expression.  
  
'That's so...neat!'  
  
'Ye not be afraid missy? Not all pirates will be treatin' ye handsomely.' Came another one with long blonde hair.  
  
'Afraid? I'm not afraid. This is so awesome.' They looked at each other and then Van spoke up again.  
  
'Listen missy, ye can't be talkin' or dressin' like ye were when we got ye aboard. Ye gotta learn to speak like us, or ye can't be shown out in public.'  
  
'That's right! Ye be attracting too much attention.' Merle shouted from behind her. Hitomi swung around and stumbled right into Van who caught her and balanced her once again.  
  
'Still don't have them sea legs yet.' He commented.  
  
'Right.' She said dusting herself off.  
  
'Captain!' One of the crew shouted from a lookout stand. Van looked up and motioned his head for him to continue with what he was talking about.  
  
'It be another shipwreck, probably from the Phenomenon, by the looks of it. There seems to be two people in a boat.' Hitomi walked over to the edge of the ship and yelled.  
  
'HEY! CAN YOU HEAR ME!?' Van pulled her back abruptly and scolded her.  
  
'Ye shut yer trap. We be taken no more passengers aboard missy, we be pirates, not a traveling service. Ye just be a special case.'  
  
'But-' se stammered. 'They might die!' she explained. 'How can you let them die?'  
  
'It be none of my concern, they have a boat. They wont be perished.'  
  
'A boat maybe but-'  
  
'Learn to hold yer tongue girl, or it might be cut out.' Merle said holding the tip of her dagger. Hitomi closed her mouth and pressed her lips tightly together.  
  
'Now if we-'  
  
'Well, well, well if it isn't Captain Van Fanel!' Shouted one of the people in the boat. Van looked towards them and squinted. And walked closer to the edge for a better look.  
  
'It be Captain Arrow, Captain.'  
  
'What kind of trouble ye be now?' Van yelled over the waters at Captain Arrow.  
  
'We be in little trouble, Van. But will ye be willin' to help an ol' friend? We have no ores and the boat be sinkin' quickly.'  
  
'Get another boat out there.' Van ordered to two of the crewmembers.  
  
'Who is Captain Arrow?' asked Hitomi.  
  
'Captain Edwina Arrow be the Captain of the Phenomenon until Dilandau and his men took over it. She just be jumping around from ship to ship now. She be a slightly crazy lass though. She helped me crew out once before and now to pay be the favor.'  
  
'Has anyone ever tired to get the Phenomenon back?'  
  
'Nye, with Dilandau bein' the captain only a fool would try.'  
  
'A fool?' asked Arrow, jumping over the edge. 'I be no fool!' She stood about a foot over Hitomi, 5foot 4, and had jet-black hair done up in a single tress falling down to her lower back. She was wearing a nice leather hat and was wearing a navy blue over coat and a white shirt underneath. She had on many belts, which held up her three swords and pouches. She had on baggy cotton pants and simple boots. She had crystal blue eyes that were a little too close together, a small nose that looked as if it had been broken at least twice, and she had small lips that, when she smiled took up half of her face. She had many earrings on and many necklaces made of beads of all sizes, shells and teeth of sharks.  
  
'That's why ye be attacked.' Van explained.  
  
'Of course. Almost had me baby back until that dirty rat took me most of me crew. It was sad. I got heads. Heads!' She wailed.  
  
'Heads.' Hitomi said.  
  
'Of course heads! If I had gotten tails, I would have let me crew die and take me ship back and jus' get a new crew.'  
  
'You would let your crew die? That's absurd though.'  
  
'Who be this girl Van? Another one?' she asked, ignoring Hitomi's question.  
  
'Aye, another one. Fell from the sky, just like the first.'  
  
Edwina eyed her and then reached into her pocket and pulled out a coin. She flipped it into the air and caught it. Putting it onto the top of her hand she removed the one covering it and looked at the design.  
  
'Ye be a lucky girl. I be Captain Edwina Arrow.' She held out her hand and Hitomi contemplated grabbing it or jumping over the edge and drowning then sailing with this maniac.  
  
'Hitomi Kanzaki.' She shook her hand firmly.  
  
'Where is it ye be headin' Van' she said after letting go of Hitomi's hand.  
  
'The Austerian port.'  
  
'Austeria, what a fine place to be docking.' She sighed and leaned on the edge of the ship. 'There goes another one. Van,' she grabbed the person she was sailing with. 'This be Serenity Gelding, the only crew member not to be captured.' She was a short, but a thin girl. She had shoulder length blonde hair tied up with ribbons and had brown eyes. She wore a leather vest and a couple of baggy shirts underneath. She had on a pair of green pants and was rolled up to around her knees and boots that looked a tad to big. She had belts around her waist and a sheath holding her single dagger.  
  
Serenity smiled and said hi and Van did the same as well as most of the crew. Hitomi really didn't feel safe sailing with this, Arrow character but if she wanted help, she'd have to live with it.  
  
*****  
  
It's all true, about Edwina... She did break her nose twice. Once by getting into a bar fight (she got a 5 on a dice which is like tails.) and the second time she had pissed off a thief and he hit her with the hilt of his sword resulting in the second breakage of her nose and her lovely charisma of 17 went down to 15. Oh well...  
  
Anyone please review and tell me what you think okay? Bai, bai! ^ ~  
  
Yours truly,  
  
~Sweet Roses 


	3. Docking at the Port

I do not own Escaflowne  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Docking at the Port  
  
*****  
  
Hitomi was leaning on the rail of the ship staring out to sea, the stars and moon casting an eerie glow over the waters.  
  
Van was standing proudly at the front of the ship with Merle and Allen near him. There were a few other crewmembers "swabbing" deck while the others checked the ropes and made sure everything was in order.  
  
Serenity was acting as a lookout on the lower part while one of Van's crewmembers that went by the name Milerna, was up top looking out as well. Captain Arrow, however, wasn't doing much. She had her hat tipped down just above her eyes and was leaning against the side of the ship. She had in her hands her coin and was flipping it subconsciously when suddenly another face appeared in front of hers.  
  
'What are ye doin' girl?' Asked Captain Arrow a little shocked.  
  
'Well,' she started sitting down on her heals and blacklegs and balancing on her toes. She had her arms wrapped around her knees. 'I was wondering. What did you do for Van that made him save you?'  
  
Edwina flicked her hat so that it sat on the top of her head. (A/N shut up... it's not my fault that it rhymes.) 'I only helped him the first time he was burdened with a girl savvy?'  
  
'Ehn... I guess. But other girl?'  
  
'Aye. I say it be 'round six years now.' She said recollecting, still flipping the coin.  
  
'What was her name?' Hitomi asked shifting her weight on her other foot now.  
  
'Well, Van be the one you should be askin'. I don' know much about that issue.'  
  
'Oh. Can I ask you another question?'  
  
'You haven' stopped yet have ye?'  
  
'Um, sorry. Why do you have that coin?'  
  
'This here coin, well,' she smiled and stopped flipping it and held it in her hand before speaking again. 'It be my lucky coin. It makes all the decisions for Me.' she flipped the coin again and caught it, bearing it's side. Tails.  
  
'Ye see,' she said sighing. 'When I get heads... it usually is a downside... like when me crew got captured by the rat, I told meself, 'Now Arrow, ye got two choices, tails ye get yer ship back forget about the consequences, and heads let him take ye men and ye ship and get them both back later. If they not be dead now' and I got heads. Sometimes heads results in good things and sometimes bad, as with the tails.' She looked at the coin between her fingers; she was rolling it back and forth.  
  
'What was that about then? When you just flipped it.'  
  
She stretched and put her hands behind her head, knocking her hat into her eyes. 'That was about whether I tell ye or not. Now let me be girl.'  
  
Hitomi stood up and turned around. Merle and Allen had both gone off and Van was left looked out the side, looking for a port. She rubbed her arms; it was starting to get cold.  
  
'V- Captain Van.' Said Hitomi, walking up to him and standing beside him. 'What were you and Captain Arrow talking about earlier... you know about the girl, who fell from the sky.'  
  
'Her name? Aye, her name was pretty, like yours.' He rested his chin on his fist. 'Her name...was Isabeau Grewhawk. She fell from the sky, just like you.'  
  
'She, I know her. She writes all the books I read... about you.'  
  
'What?'  
  
'Yes...she writes about you and the Phoenix Ocean. She has many books out, a very famous author and has been for three years now. She has her trilogy, 'Shadow of Ocean Phoenix out. What happened when she was with you? No wait, don't answer that!'  
  
'Ye might want to get some sleep. Tomorrow be a big day. We should be dockin' by mornin, if not sooner.'  
  
'I'll just try and blend in I suppose... what shall I be wearing?'  
  
'I'll see what Captain Arrow thinks... she be particularly better at that then I am.'  
  
'About the captain of the Phenomenon, have you ever fought him?'  
  
'Aye. Twice. The first time is when I saved the girl from him. He be talkin' on like she be some kind of prophet. The second time was when I met Arrow for the first time. I almost regret helping her out, but then she helped me out many times as well, a lot with the girl with me.' He got up and walked over the wheel placing his hands on it and moving it slightly.  
  
'How did you get her home Van?'  
  
'I don' know. She just started to fade one day and then she disappeared. We were all wonderin' what happened to the lass, but we could find no trace. The next I knew, Arrow had left the next day, said she got heads and was off to find her ship.'  
  
'It's so... peculiar. Am I just going to disappear too?' She asked walking closer to him. He turned around and grabbed her shoulders.  
  
'Listen to me love, what every yer case be; I'm sure ye will get home some way or other. But I promise, I will take ye as far as I can.' And he let her go.  
  
'You're a pirate.' She started. 'Why are you being so...not pirate like?' He turned back around.  
  
'Go to sleep please.' He walked away leaving her behind by the wheel. She stared at it for moment and then decided it was best the she does go to sleep; she was getting tired.  
  
*****  
  
Hitomi awoke lying face down and sprawled all over the bed. She opened her eyes lazily and squinted at the light pouring through the little round window. She sat up and rubbed her eyes she did her best to fix her hair, which was standing up on the right side. Walking up stairs she heard a lot of bustle and it really didn't feel like she was moving at all. 'Maybe I finally got my sea legs' she thought opening the door and noticing the huge dock beside the ship and frowned, 'likely.'  
  
'Hey...put these on and then come up here. Ye be dressed for a freak show here.' Merle handed her some cloths and jumped off the ship onto the dock at least 8 feet up and continued walking to where, when Hitomi's eyes followed her, led to Van and some others.  
  
'I'll be waitin for ye girl, so ye better be hurryin' up.' Hitomi looked behind herself and saw Edwina leaning on a sail pole holding her coin in her hand.  
  
*****  
  
Okay, I know, short. But hey it did take me two hours of my homework time. I have loads so be patient please. Okies.  
  
Huggles to all and thanks for reviewing if you did!  
  
Yours truly,  
  
Sweet roses  
  
^ ~ 


	4. Scuffle in the Sirens Song Tavern

I do not own Escaflowne  
  
Chapter 4  
  
Scuffle in the "Sirens Song" Tavern  
  
*****  
  
The town of Austeria was crowded, muggy and hot. Many of the women that passed had fans in their hand or the top of their dresses undone to the lowest, sometimes even both. Hitomi was in simple dark green pants, a navy long sleeved shirt that buttoned all the way up, a light leather jacket the went to her behind her knees and a pair of normal leather boots, but were great for sneaking in.  
  
'Stay close girl, ye don't want to be gettin' lost in Austeria, this be a spiteful place. Thieves and such.'  
  
'We have thieves back where I come from too you know,' Hitomi stated wryly. 'They're probably just as mean as they are there.'  
  
'You don' wanna be fightin' with me girl.' Was all Edwina said before she stopped and pulled Hitomi towards the wall and into a vacant shop.  
  
'What are you-?' She tired to say but a partially gloved hand covered her mouth.  
  
'Shhh,' Edwina quieted. She made her duck behind a dusty counter with her and popped her head high enough to see out the window.  
  
'What is it?' Hitomi said loudly. She gave her the answer by smacking her up side the head. Hitomi mouthed the words "Ow" and leaned back, rubbing her head. Edwina ducked down and leaned against the desk just as Hitomi. They stayed that way for about, wheat felt like a minute and then Edwina stood up.  
  
'I can't believe they be here. Of all places of Gaea they chose Austeria. Bloody hell.' She exclaimed kicking over a turned-over pail that was full of dust. Hitomi sneezed and stood up.  
  
'Who?' she asked, sounding slightly stuffed.  
  
'Dilandau and his men, they're all over this town, searchin' for god knows who now. Could be anyone!' She threw her hands up and let them fall, slapping the side of her thighs.  
  
'Isn't he the one that left you stranded?' she asked innocently.  
  
'Yes.' Edwina snapped and walked over to the door, pulling Hitomi along with her. She opened it and walked out continuing her way straight, leading to the Sirens Song Tavern, where she was supposed to meet Van and the others.  
  
'So, Why did he take your ship in the first place?'  
  
'Because he be damn thievin' pirate.'  
  
Hitomi stopped and looked questioningly at her and asked, 'You're a pirate aren't you?'  
  
'Aye, I be a pirate. But I don't go stealin' the big things ye see.'  
  
'Sooooo what you are saying is that it's okay to steal, just ships are taking it too far.'  
  
'Shut up and c'mon already.' She said, turning around and walking on ahead, not noticing when Hitomi had disappeared.  
  
*****  
  
'Where could they be?' Van asked to no one in particular. 'It's been too long.' He took a long drink and then set his mug back down on the table.  
  
He was sitting in a corner at a table with Merle, Allen, Serenity and Milerna the others were at another table. The tavern was dimly lit with half burning candles. From the outside it seemed like a welcoming place but when you got in you were sure this was the gallows. It was always dark and damp, like a hole that has been paved on the inside. There were constant fights and complaints, tables being knocked over and drinks being spilled but it was the only tavern that had business in town .  
  
'She must 'ave got lost. Can't trust that lunatic with nothin'' Milerna said, slouching her shirt riding up her back as she did so.  
  
'Hey! Don' ye be talkin' about her like that!' Serenity shouted.  
  
'Be patient. Keep quiet. She'll be here. She's been here many times before.' The door opened to the tavern and Van added, 'See what' I'd tell ya?'  
  
'Ye should be more careful with what ye say Captain,' Merle hissed under her breath, 'It be Dilandau. What business does he have here!?' Van turned around on his chair and looked behind him. She was right. Dilandau walked in with a few crewmembers.  
  
He was wearing a soft leather vest and a baggy sleeved black shirt underneath, with another shirt underneath that one that was pale green. He had on black fairly snug pants. He wore a belt that held his sword in its sheath and a black and grey bandana.  
  
'You're not welcome 'ere.' Said the tender shakily and everyone went quiet. Suddenly, Dilandau took out a dagger and threw it at him, landing beside his face.  
  
'Ye tell me that again, and I wont miss. I'd like drink then.' He said sadistically. The tender merely nodded and got him some ale.  
  
He sat down at the nearest table after he grabbed his mug and his "men" followed like trained puppy dogs while one of the others went and fetched his missing dagger and put it in front of him. Dilandau leaned back and put his feet on the table so that two of his chair legs were on the ground.  
  
The tavern was loud once again and Van stood, motioning for the others to stay put. He walked quietly through the crowd and over to where Dilandau and his men were sitting. Very quietly he went around the support poles (that weren't really poles at all but more like square poles... if that makes any sense) where Dilandau had his back facing. All his men saw it coming, but couldn't say anything as Van shifted his foot right underneath one of the legs of the chair and sent Dilandau tumbling onto the floor, his neck getting acquainted with one of Van's boots. All eyes were on the scene.  
  
Dilandau looked angry for a minute and then his face brightened with sarcasm and he said, 'Ah, Van... how nice it be ta see ya.'  
  
'Where is she?' he growled.  
  
Dilandau frowned mockingly. 'Where is who?' Van pressed a little harder on his throat getting a faint gagging noise out of him. The men that were with Dilandau drew their swords and pointed them at Van, warning him to get off their Captain. There were at least four of them.  
  
In the corner Merle growled. 'This has gone on long enough.' She took out her dagger and Allen followed, to make sure that Merle didn't get hurt, after all she was still pretty young. Milerna and Serenity just stayed. 'They need us ye know... There are more of us then them. We can take 'em' Serenity explained. She looked to the other table that had the other four members of the ship on it. She nudged her head towards where Van was and where Merle and Allen were sneaking behind them and a few others started to move as well.  
  
'Remove yer foot.' One of the men said. Van did what he was told and Dilandau stood up just in time to say, 'Behind ye fools!'  
  
They all turned around and one of them got a hilt of the sword in the face, knocking him down to the floor Merle kicked his sword across the room and held the dagger up to his throat. Allen was warding off two of the others and Serenity and Dryden were attacking the last. Van unsheathed his own sword and held it at Dilandau.  
  
'Very clever Van. I'd didn't think ye would come alone.' He circled around him and Van shifted his position to follow him.  
  
'Where are they?'  
  
'Where are who?' he jested still waking around him tauntingly.  
  
'Ye know who.' He whispered, holding his sword threateningly. Dilandau went to grab his sword and then there was a loud bang, a few of the girls screamed and the others who were fighting stopped and both Van and Dilandau followed the noise to the bar tender who was holing a gun.  
  
'Get out. All of ye, there will be no blood shed in here.' No one moved and she shot the gun again, causing more screams.  
  
'This isn't over.' Dilandau shoved Van out of his way the others followed. Soon all of Van's crewmembers and himself left the tavern and went on their search for Edwina and Hitomi.  
  
*****  
  
Please tell me what you think Okies and leave a review. should I write more? 


	5. The Trade

I do not own Escaflowne  
  
Chapter 5  
  
The Trade  
  
*****  
  
Hitomi kicked at the ground angrily, thinking bitter thoughts about Edwina.  
  
'Who does she think she is ANYWAY!' she screamed in her head. ' I can take care of myself. I'm capable of it.' She looked around and didn't know where she was. 'Feels like high school all over again.' she whispered. 'Where am I anyway?'  
  
She sat down on a random stone edge outside of a cloth store and rested her chin in her palms. She sighed. She knew without Van and the others that she could kiss getting home goodbye. She felt the tears stinging her eyes and she looked around until her eyes fell on someone. It was one of the pirates that Edwina pointed out earlier. She stood up and ran into the cloth store. She felt uncomfortable in these cloths looking around at every else in the store wearing nice dresses and suits.  
  
'Can I be of any service?' A girl asked in a demeaning tone and looking Hitomi up and down at what she was wearing.  
  
'Un, well uh...not just yet.' She said flustered and walked away looking at some nearby dresses. They all looked very different as to what she would wear back at home. She took a sleeve into her hand. The material was soft.  
  
She knew it was wrong but she couldn't stay in these cloths, she felt like a freak. She walked over to a person who looked pretty wealthy and bumped into slightly, grabbing the bag that he had foolishly left sticking out of his pocket and pretended to be tripped by him. She landed with a thud on the floor. In the time it took everyone to figure out what had happened she emptied the contents of the pouch and shoved it into the pocket of the dress she chose to buy.  
  
'I am sorry miss.' Said the man who had thought he had tripped her.  
  
'It's ok.' She replied. She waited for a hand but none came so she stood up and continued to look around for a little more. When she saw he was talking to the man for a suit she quickly slipped the money into her pocket and went back to the dress with the small pocket near the bottom of the dress. The pocket in which held the empty bag that had contained the money she stole from the man. She grabbed it and hastily walked to the counter. The woman behind the counter took the dress and said a price.  
  
'Six shillings.'  
  
'Six?' Hitomi laughed, 'Is that all?' the woman looked at her weird and then said, 'Do ye have it or not?'  
  
'Oh yes. Do I have six shillings.' She laughed again and shoved her hand into her pocket and pulled out some money and gave it to her. She looked at the money Hitomi gave her and noticed that there was eight instead of six.  
  
'Uh I don't need these.' She said handing her back the two extra shillings.  
  
'Um, keep them, as long as I can change here.'  
  
'Indeed.' Said the woman who led Hitomi to some sort of back room where she changed and hid the pouch that had contained the money somewhere in the back room. When she came out she actually looked half decent. The dress had puffy short sleeves and was quite snug on the hips and upper part and showed a little too much cleavage for her liking. There were buttons half an inch from the top middle and down to her waist. The bottom covered just to the top of her feet and fanned out. The dress was a pale pearl in color.  
  
'Thank you.' Hitomi said and left rapidly.  
  
*****  
  
'That stupid girl where did she go?' Edwina muttered to herself and walked the streets not caring that she ran into or pushed aside.  
  
'Outta me way.' She said harshly to some small children playing on the sidewalk area. The child started to cry and the older one tried to comfort him, she just walked past.  
  
'Why bother with that little hellion? She deserves to be lost or taken by that scallywag...well, well, well.' She trailed off.  
  
She looked through the crowd and saw Hitomi and one of Dilandau's men following closely behind. She hurried on so that she could catch up to her before the blonde boy did.  
  
*****  
  
'Where could they be? This town only be so big. They can't be far.' Van said while looking around over the crowd and down the side corridors.  
  
'I bet that girl took off with her and be sellin' her to some drunk.' Merle said.  
  
'She would not!' Yelled Serenity. 'She wouldn't. She not be like that. I promise. They probably got lost er something.' Although Serenity was sure that she would probably sell her but she was almost certain that Van's help to get her ship back was more important that money at the moment.  
  
'Well we gotta find them. I promised I'd take her home.'  
  
'So? What be a promise when yer a pirate?' Merle asked. Van didn't know how to answer her, it was true, he was a pirate and he didn't need rules or promises. He was supposed to be ruthless, like Dilandau was. That was what most people looked at pirates to be as. He shrugged at her question and continued walking.  
  
*****  
  
Hitomi looked around and suddenly felt a hand grabbed her wrist and she was tugged out of the crown and down into a corridor.  
  
'What de ye be thinkin' yer doing girl? Do ye want to be killed?'  
  
'Hey! I can take care of myself!' Hitomi screamed at her and tried to tug her arm away from her death grip.  
  
'Good day ladies.' Both of the girls stopped fussing and looked up. There was Dilandau and a few of his men. 'Guess I was too nice leavin' ye the boat this time wasn't I?'  
  
'Well, better than last time when ye left us the ores and no boat.' She smiled callously. Dilandau snickered.  
  
'What did you do ta me crew?'  
  
'I suppose there somewhere in the ocean by now. But don't ye worry, they got the same treatment ye got.'  
  
'Bastard.' She hissed.  
  
'Now, why don't ye hand over the pretty little girl and I'll take 'er off yer hands how about that?'  
  
'You best be kidding.'  
  
'No I'm not,' he smiled sadistically and reached inside his shirt and pulled out two pouches.  
  
'I'll give you these two pouches, both containing at least eleven shillings each, for her.' He shook the bags and swung them towards Hitomi. She looked wide-eyed at the bags and a small grin played at her lips. Hitomi looked quite worried though, being in the hands of the most insane person in the whole crew, couldn't turn out too well.  
  
'About twenty some shillings righ'?' She reached inside her pocket and pulled out her coin, Hitomi knew it couldn't end good but Dilandau knew that there was a fifty-fifty chance he wouldn't have to use force, which wouldn't draw attention. Still gripping Hitomi with her left hand she flipped the coin and caught it turned her hand around and opened it up. She looked up and smiled slightly.  
  
'Tails.' She murmured and threw Hitomi into Dilandau's grasp in return getting the two pouches. She looked inside and sure enough there was the money.  
  
'Always a pleasure.' He smiled viciously and left with Hitomi, wide- eyed and scared.  
  
*****  
  
Please tell me what ya think about it. Now, don't think too harshly of Edwina, I know it was a nasty thing she did but that's my character! Hee  
  
Please Review  
  
Yours truly,  
  
Sweet Roses  
  
Expect another chapter in the next week or so Okies! 


	6. The Watchful Eye

Chapter 6  
  
The Watchful Eye  
  
*****  
  
Hitomi was lying in a cell on the floor. For the first while she kept banging on the bars and kicking at them. Then Dilandau tied her ankles to her thighs, so that she was kneeling in a very uncomfortable position. He then tied her hands up behind her so that he fingers were rendered useless. Although he bounded her hopeless, he didn't gage her...yet.  
  
'Listen, I'm sure you don't need to keep me in here and with such savagery. I don't need this. I'm very sore tied like this. Can't you let me go? You seem like a nice guy, why would you tie me up in here like I was an animal?' She complained in a whining voice.  
  
'Would ye shut up?'  
  
'NO! This is mad! You should be put in jail for this. I'll make sure of it.'  
  
The door opened to the cell and Hitomi shut up.  
  
'Pitiful, ye land loving brats never learn.' He kicked her in the side of the face and she fell in a very painful position. Even more than the one she already was in.  
  
Her cheek was already starting to swell and tears were threatening to fall. 'Ow.' She whispered.  
  
'What was that ye said?' Dilandau said brazenly. 'Did I hurt ye? Good. Maybe then you'll listen.'  
  
'Listen to what?' she sobbed. She was lying on her side and her dress was almost showing too much. She was wishing now that she had of stayed in her cloths instead of buying the dress.  
  
'Well,' He said squatting down beside her head, 'yer a very important part of this...world.'  
  
'I am?'  
  
'Unlike that other twerp that came here years ago, yer actually are the prophet, she jus' told us about you, then we made her walk the plank.' Dilandau recollected and a smiled played on his face.  
  
'You're going to kill me if I don't "help" you out is that it?'  
  
'Naw. I'm going ta kill ye either way, yer goin' ta help me actually, then I'm goin' ta kill ye.' He laughed slightly.  
  
'Heh, heh, heh...' Hitomi laughed nervously. 'I'm sure you don't need to kill me, I'll help you with whatever you need.' She pleaded.  
  
'I don' need yer input on the conversation girl.' He grabbed a piece of cloth from his pocket and started to shove it in her mouth. The last understandable words were 'No it can't be sanitary...' then he tied another piece of cloth around her head and mouth to prevent her from spitting it out.  
  
'That's much better. Now listen carefully, there is a treasure out there, and ye need that necklace around yer pretty little neck.'  
  
Hitomi attempted at saying something but it only came out in a mumble.  
  
'That girl told us ye were coming, the prophet she said, the one who will find the treasure of the Phoenix Ocean. The one is ye.' Hitomi mumbled again and it resembled the words "A treasure?" He cheek was even more swelled and was slowly making her vision in her right eye go blurry.  
  
'Well, as long and we be clear on that.' He got up and left. 'Have a nice sleep.' He said snidely. As soon as he two other men came down and for the first time, she noticed another figure in the cell beside her. The two med sat idly near the cells backs turned and were talking loudly.  
  
'Hey!' Hitomi heard the whisper. She tried looking with her let eye and saw the covered figure moving closer to her on the other side of the bars.  
  
'Shhh.' The figure whispered again, but Hitomi could barely hear her. The figure stuck its arms through the bars and started to work on the ropes that bound her hands in place. It was tough; the figure was pressed against the bars so that it was just touching the rope enough to untie it. Once freed of the ropes, Hitomi started working on her ankles, which was pretty hard. She untied the bind around her head and spit out the gage that was inside her mouth and sucked in partially fresh air.  
  
'Who are you?' asked Hitomi in a hushed voice. 'I mean thank-you.'  
  
'I'm Galaphile.'  
  
I'm Hitomi.' She whispered back.  
  
'I'm sure ye met Arrow righ'?' Hitomi made an angry face.  
  
'Yes. I know her. That's why I'm in this mess.' Galaphile laughed and removed his hood. Hitomi stared at him. He had long hair. Down to his backside and was in a loose ponytail. It was light grey in color, but he wasn't old. He was older than Hitomi by about five or six years. He had high cheekbones and dark, dark eyes. His lips were thin and he had a very thin nose. He wore black cloths, pants and shirt and shoes and the cloak he was wearing. In Hitomi's opinion, he was very, very attractive.  
  
'Oh?' He whispered to her, interest clearly in his voice.  
  
'She sold me!' Hitomi said her voice raised.  
  
'Shhh... don' worry, I was one of her crewmembers, and she called me too proper, not fit for a pirate. I didn't fight too well either. I knew how to fight mind ye, but I screwed up and she locked me in here. I can' blame her, she's crazy or close to it and then I heard fighting and then there was Dilandau. He keeps feedin' me for some reason. I guess he wants me alive.'  
  
'Probably wants someone to torment.' Hitomi shrugged.  
  
'Shut up both of ye!' one of the pirates that were guarding. Hitomi looked back at Galaphile.  
  
'We have to get out of here before he uses me and then kills me.' Hitomi says.  
  
'Don't think like that. Dilandau won't kill you until he knows that he has all the treasure he can get, and then yes he'd probably kill ye.'  
  
'Come on! We can get out. You helped me and I'll help you know. I'll Dilandau that him that I won't take him to his treasure unless he lets me go. And I'll make sure he'll let you go too!'  
  
'He don' make deals'  
  
'Well, I'm sure we'll think of something, I'm sure we have a lot of time.' Hitomi turned around and leaned on the bars, back facing Galaphile.  
  
'I think yer righ'.' He said. 'Get some sleep, ye'll need it.'  
  
Hitomi took his advice and lay down on her left cheek, her other one, where Dilandau had kicked her, was really starting to hurt. She was sure she could trust him; he was so much more proper than the others that she had met. He also wasn't an insane freak that would flip a coin in trade for her life.  
  
*****  
  
AH HA the plot thickens...uh ok maybe not. Anyway tells me whatcha thought about it. Leave reviews WA HA, HA MY GASOLINE! Ahem anyway  
  
REVIEW  
  
Yours truly,  
  
Sweet roses 


	7. Serpent Dreams

Chapter Seven  
  
Serpent Dreams  
  
(A/N: By the way, this had nothing to do with serpents or any related reptiles. Okies?)  
  
Meanwhile, Van and the crew were looking for Hitomi and her protector, Edwina, who foolishly and selfishly, sold Hitomi to Dilandau. Although Edwina didn't even know what he was planning to do with her, she did it anyway.  
  
She was regretting slightly at the back of her mind and wondering if she should go searching for the group of pirates, when she bumped into Van. Both of them fell on their butts and she started getting hysterical, shouting and cussing. She stopped when she realized it was Van; she then stopped, stood up and started straightening her hat.  
  
'Good afternoon Van,' She said. Van looked around just waiting to see where Hitomi was. When he didn't catch sight of her he sighed perceptibly. Edwina, who heard this turned her head and scratched it.  
  
'Good afternoon to ye as well Arrow, but where is Hitomi?'  
  
'Hitomi?' Edwina said. She looked as though she contemplated for a minute before taking out her coin and flipping it. She looked down at the top of her hand, everyone around her were trying to get their noses in as well. She smiled and sweetly said, 'I'm sorry captain, but I can't tell ye where she be.'  
  
Van grabbed the front of her jacket and pushed her up against the wall and shouted in her face, 'Where is she?' Edwina grabbed at her coin but Van took it and threw it in the streets where some person grabbed it and ran away. Edwina stared at the sight she had just witnessed; someone had just stolen her coin. Not just a coin but her favorite coin, the coin in which she made decisions with, and Van merely just gave it away. She was shocked.  
  
'Where is she?' he repeated himself, this time more angry. Edwina shook her head. 'Without me coin.' she trailed off. Van shook her and she looked at him, clearly, she was nothing without her coin. 'I gave her to Dilandau. he paid me. Somethin' ye not be doin' for lookin' after the lass.' With another hard shove against the wall Van released her. 'Why do ye care anyway? She don' even belong here.'  
  
'I premised her I'd taker 'er home.' Van said solemnly.  
  
'Yer a pirate... promises... mean nothin'.'  
  
'To me they do.' He paced back and forth; the crewmembers were watching him idly.  
  
'Well, fine that be wonderful Captain,' she prolonged and bowed mockingly. 'But I'm not so sure as to where they headed.' She smiled sadistically.  
  
'That be the reason why you're coming with us.' Edwina's smile faded and she crossed her arms.  
  
'No I'm not.' She stated.  
  
'Believe me...you are.' Van whispered in an insensitive tone. Edwina smiled ironically then followed Van to the ship.  
  
*****  
  
Hitomi had been sleeping in her cell beside Galaphile when a light came pouring into her cell. Her cheek still hurt from where Dilandau had kicked it the night before. She opened her eyes and saw Dilandau staring at her.  
  
'Get up.' He ordered. She sat up. Galaphile also awoke from the sun pouring down from the opened door, and Dilandau's orders as well. 'Come on an' get up girl.' He shouted and grabbed for her wrist. Hitomi pulled back just at the last minute and scampered to the far corner. Dilandau was almost surprised at this but quickly recovered and went inside and once again grabbed at her wrists, this time succeeding. He pulled her up and she whined in protest and struggled against his grip. This only made him hold tighter and pull harder.  
  
'Let her go!' Galaphile yelled.  
  
'Ye shut yer trap, if ye knew what was good for ya.' He snapped and dragged Hitomi onto the deck where her shoved her down on the deck.  
  
'Yer going to show me where this treasure be alright!'  
  
'I don't know what you're talking about.' Hitomi stood up clutching onto the pendant and looking around and closed her eyes.  
  
'Listen. I don't need yer games lass. Yer a prophet.'  
  
'No I'm not I'm a girl. Just a little girl...' she fell to the deck again and was tempted to sob but held it.  
  
'Ye know where the treasure is and if I have to kill ye and find the damn thing by meself I will. Ye want to live don't ye?'  
  
'Yes.' She said simply and quietly. He grabbed her arm and stood her up. 'Can I have some time...alone?' Dilandau obliged by merely walking away leaving her to stare into the vast ocean by herself. She squeezed the pendant tighter and her eyes shut again.  
  
She was standing in space. She clutched her throat, but she was breathing fine. In front of her was a planet spinning gracefully...Neptune. She felt cold all of a sudden and opened her eyes. She gasped and spun around. She was no longer on the ship she was in a different place, a wonderland...snow and ice everywhere. She shivered and her breath cut through the air. She began to walk some and then slipped and suddenly found herself sliding downwards and then she was falling into dark depths and landed on something hard and cold. Not ice but...  
  
Hitomi gasped and opened her eyes again. She was shivering all over and her knuckles were white from gripping the ledge of the ship and she was pale. She didn't bother to turn around to see Dilandau, although he looked at her oddly.  
  
'What happened? Why are you so cold.'  
  
'You're...in an icy place downwards in a cave somewhere. I saw it. It was so cold and damp and...'  
  
'Cold...how can something be cold?'  
  
'I don't know she shouted. I saw cold and I saw Neptune.' Hitomi said, her back still towards Dilandau.  
  
Dilandau walked towards her back and grinned. He put one hand on her shoulder, which made her jump and the other on her other arm. He twisted her around so that she was now in front of him. He pushed her back towards cabin areas. Only for her she was going to her cell. He pushed her down the stairs and she fumbled a bit but landed on her feet where another man was there ready to grip her arm and throw her into her cell. In her cell she leaned up against the wall and uttered under her breath, 'please Van, find me.'  
  
*****  
  
Okies so there is chapter 7 uh PLEASE review Okies bai! :D  
  
Yours truly,  
  
Sweet roses 


	8. Wicked and Weird

Chapter 8  
  
Wicked and Weird  
  
*****  
  
Hitomi couldn't sleep for very long, not after what happened. Something like that had never happened to her before, everything felt so real. Hitomi sat up and looked around. Something was very different, missing. She turned her head a little to the right and the cell was empty, the door wide opened.  
  
'What happened here?' Hitomi breathed. 'And why didn't I notice?'  
  
She twisted herself around until she was in front of the door to her cell. She cautiously reached both her hands up and gripped the bars lightly; she tugged and pulled. Then she started tugging harder and then used her foot for more support underneath her right hand. Pushing and pulling with all her might but it refused to move. She backed away and looked at her hands; they were cold and had a greenish, brassy tinge. She slumped against the back wall and let her head fall onto her shoulder. She kicked her legs and screamed in frustration and then she lay still once again.  
  
She searched the ground and saw a broom and crawled over to the far corner of the cell. She put her arm through and reached for the broom. It was just a little too far but she strained herself even more to grab the end of the handle but she couldn't get a hold of it. Her face and body were pressed up against the cold bars and yet she pushed even more. She felt the tip of the broom and tried to pull it closer; she kept sweeping over the tip.  
  
'Come on.....' she urged to the broom trying to get it just a little closer. When she went to grab at it again she swept her fingers forward and nicked the broom back to the point that she was unable to grab it once again. Hitomi screamed in frustration again and retracted her arm back through the bars and lay down on the floor.  
  
She didn't know how long she had lain there but she ended up falling asleep. She awoke to the sounds of feet pattern on deck up above. She leaned on her elbows and looked up as if trying to see through the floor.  
  
'Hey!' she yelled. It could have been Dilandau or it could have been Van; Hitomi took her chances anyway.  
  
Soon there were footsteps walking towards the stairs. A head popped down and there was face of one of Dilandau's men she presumed. He threw a dagger down the hole and it landed right in front of her cell.  
  
'Pipe down.' He shouted. 'They'll need you soon enough.' The man seemed to have shoulder length brown hair, which was pulled back in a tight ponytail; he then turned around and slammed shut the door.  
  
Hitomi sat there for a minute, not breathing and looking at the door. After what seemed like minutes and jumped for the dagger. Hitomi gripped the daggers handle and tugged. The floor squeaked around it and nothing happened. She didn't want to make too much noise and she knew from the first time she tugged it that it might. Hitomi coughed and jiggled the dagger until it was almost loose. When she gave it one final powerful tug her arm went flying up and it one of the horizontal bars and winced in pain. She brought her arm back through and then, on her knees, crawled over to the lock on the cell door.  
  
Hitomi was so proud of herself; she didn't have to be rescued by someone she could do it herself. That was what she thought until the dagger was too big to fit into the lock. Hitomi sighed and leaned back, letting her head lull to the side. She was still holding the dagger when she noticed a nail partially sticking out of a board in the floor.  
  
Hitomi crawled over to the loose nail and started to pry it out using the dagger that was thrown at her. It took her a while of rotating the dagger to all sides of the nail and by the time she had it out her first knuckles on her right had were bloody and sore. She left the dagger on the floor and carried the nail over to the lock. Trying to see she shoved the nail into the lock.  
  
'I've seen this a million times on the movies...why isn't this working?' She thought while swiveling the nail and trying to get the lock to click. She was starting to lose hope when she heard the click and the door started to open and squeak. She stopped it abruptly and then took her arm out. She went over and scooped up the dagger and walked back over to the door. She held the bars very tightly, held her breath and closed her eyes so tightly as if she was willing it to not make a sound. When she had it opened to the point where she could fit through, she took her chance.  
  
Hitomi walked to the door up the stairs and lifted it up just a little bit to peer through. The guy that had told her to be quiet earlier was sitting on a crate staring at something, and he was picking his teeth.  
  
'So you're alone.' Hitomi thought. She quietly opened the rest of the door and then she very quietly and nimbly crawled up and started to sneak up on the man. She was right behind him she stepped on a squeaky board. The pirate turned around and Hitomi brought the hilt of the dagger down and hit him above the temple. The man feel to the ground and a small trickle of blood came.  
  
Hitomi apologized and then she leaned over the edge of the boat to see where they were. She leaned back and felt something cold on the side of her neck. She glanced down and the man was still lying there unconscious.  
  
'Drop the dagger.' He said. She did what she said and the dagger clattered on the floor.  
  
'Turn around.' He ordered and, once again, Hitomi did what he said and her eyes widened.  
  
'Van.' She shouted and through herself in his arms and hugged him. Van stood there in shock for minute and then he shook her off. 'How did you find me? I knew you'd find me.' she said happily.  
  
'We had a little help for someone.' He said and Galaphile walked up with Edwina.  
  
'It was her.' Hitomi shouted and pointed at Edwina. 'She pawned me off here!' Hitomi lunged herself at Edwina, who drew her sword and pointed it at Hitomi. Van grabbed her and Hitomi was face to face with Edwina's sword.  
  
'I know, she told me. Calm yer self.' Edwina lowered her sword.  
  
Hitomi fumed. 'I'll show you calm.' Hitomi screamed and tried to pounce on Edwina again, but this time Van picked her up by the waist and dragged her back farther.  
  
'Stop it all righ'!' Van shouted. 'Now your back and as I promised, I'm going to take you home.'  
  
Hitomi walked with Van to the small boat the three of them came on and on her way by Hitomi gave Edwina a death glare; Edwina just grinned. 


End file.
